Devices for hoisting cargo are well known in the art. Often these devices take up a substantial amount of room and are very immobile and heavy. A hoist typically includes a winch having a cable wound on a drum which is typically driven by a reversible electric motor. The cable usually has a hook on it for attaching to an object to be moved from one location to another.
Despite numerous hoist designs on the market today, there continues to be a need for a relatively compact, lightweight, portable, and adjustable hoist for a typical homeowner or business person needing to lift heavy objects up flights of stairs, into a cargo van, or into a free standing position off the ground.